Peeple App: Rating System For People Meets Intense Hatred On Social Media, Will It Affect The Launch? [PHOTO]
An app that allows people to rate others in a way similar to how they can rate restaurants, hotels and other businesses has been unveiled and is meeting major criticism on social media.
The app, called Peeple, which is being described as a "Yelp, but for people," and is expected to launch next month, is receiving large amounts of criticism because the system will allow people to enter others into the database for reviews simply by entering their cell phone number-and the person who is reviewed is unable to opt out of the service and have their profile or any reviews removed.
Naturally many took to social media to express full disgust over the app's potential existence:
so #peeple is what happens when two popular mean girls from your high school grow up & decide to make a slam book for the entire world?
— Sara Schaefer (@saraschaefer1) October 1, 2015
This is definitely how I want to spend my time. What a nightmare. #Peeple pic.twitter.com/yLJ2xYumri — Sara Schaefer (@saraschaefer1) October 1, 2015
I am rage-exhausted with privileged tech developers who never investigate how their apps might be used against marginalized people. #Peeple
— Melissa McEwan (@Shakestweetz) October 1, 2015
Here's my question about #Peeple: what adult, other than a harasser or stalker, wants this? Who wants to rate people this badly?! — Amadi (@amaditalks) October 1, 2015
Why stop at just Yelping the living? My new app, RIPeeple, empowers YOU to rate the dead! If we don't speak ill of them, who will? #Peeple
— Patrick Blanchfield (@PatBlanchfield) October 1, 2015
I got banned from the #Peeple facebook page for talking about being a stalking/harassment survivor and asking how 2 opt out. Neat. — Spoopy Skye (@Makofury) October 1, 2015
It's very clear that the folks involved in #Peeple either have never known anybody who was stalked, or just don't give a damn.
— Tom Head (@_tomhead) October 1, 2015
Wow, so this app #Peeple is "Yelp for Humans." What a phenomenally tone deaf and horrible idea. Social media has reached peak idiocracy. — Scott Hanselman (@shanselman) October 1, 2015
Just a heads up #Peeple, the 1st review that gets forwarded to my phone also gets forwarded to my lawyer. #PromiseNotThreat
— Ashley Lynch @VIFF (@ashleylynch) October 1, 2015
"#Peeple is a positivity app for positive people." No, it's a harassment & death trap for people who already have to fear for their safety. — Lucia Lorenzi (@empathywarrior) October 1, 2015
I don't even need the app - if you sign up for and use #Peeple to rate other human beings, I instantly know you're a horrible person.
— Mickey Fisher (@MickeyFisher73) October 1, 2015
I'm imagining teenage me, w all her insecurities about being liked, living in a world where #Peeple exists & words cannot express the horror — Emma Cueto (@Emma_Cueto) September 30, 2015
#Peeple isn't about providing a service, or filling a niche. It's about making money on the dark side of human nature, always profitable.
— Emma Evans (@TrancewithMe) October 1, 2015
Others expressed concern over the app's seemingly inherent ability to promote cyber bullying, which has already been a major issue on social media and led to several kids committing suicide over the years:
In an age where both truth and gossip on the Internet can literally ruin lives, this #peeple app is horrible AND scary #yelpforhumans??? — christine teigen (@chrissyteigen) October 1, 2015
This is a real app. It needs not to be. #peeple pic.twitter.com/QpeDnwhujp
— christine teigen (@chrissyteigen) October 1, 2015
at least I signed up to have the world judge and grade me publicly. I fucking hate this app and the boardroom table it was created around. — christine teigen (@chrissyteigen) October 1, 2015
We have to make sure our kids/teens stand a freaking chance in this world.
— christine teigen (@chrissyteigen) October 1, 2015
Yeah...because this isn't going to cause chaos with middle school and high school kids... #Peeple MORONS https://t.co/UIyDNwfySf — Batmom (@Letangueray) October 1, 2015
Young people have already been driven to suicide through online bullying. So now they facilitate that bullying with an app. What? #Peeple
— Dr Jez Phillips (@drjezphillips) October 1, 2015
"How can we increase bullying?" "How about an app that's like Yelp but for people? Just completely dehumanizing kids?" "Perfect!" #Peeple — Jack Innanen (@JackInnanen) October 1, 2015
The creators of the app, Julia Cordray and Nicole McCullogh, have since responded to the backlash on social media-and many have enjoyed the irony of their trying to defend themselves against negative comments and have them removed, which their app does not allow:
The founders of #peeple are upset bc someone created a Twitter account of them without their permission. Irony just imploded
— JLArmentrout (@JLArmentrout) October 1, 2015
People are trolling #Peeple and one of the founders doesn't like it... Oh the sweet, sweet irony. pic.twitter.com/OwxYbxPTrU — BrilliantSocialMedia (@brilliantsocial) October 1, 2015
That moment the person who created #Peeple aka stalking and harassment app tries to stop speech Irony just chuckled pic.twitter.com/EDk30GNdK9
— Nerdy Wonka (@NerdyWonka) October 1, 2015
Someone, without consent, made a social media presence of YOU & you're telling us that's WRONG IRONY IS DEAD #Peeple https://t.co/b8d0jtlNWJ — A Dark & Stormy PEN (@Vicious_pen) October 1, 2015
Founders of #Peeple getting upset about strangers on the internet being judgemental. THAT MUST BE AWFUL. https://t.co/nwsR5Cl4rT
— Frances Cook (@FrancesCook) October 1, 2015
There is not yet any word on if the app will still be expected to launch.
